Carol Rothman, who held many leadership roles at The NewsGuild-CWA, died suddenly on May 19 at the age of 76.
Rothman retired as TNG-CWA’s Secretary-Treasurer in 2013, having served in that role since 2008. Prior to that, Rothman was the Guild’s sector chairperson from 1995 until 2008 and oversaw executive council meetings and sector conferences. That followed her service as a vice president on the Guild’s executive council from 1983 until 1993.
She continued to volunteer as a trustee on The Newspaper Guild International Pension Fund until her death.
Rothman grew up in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Manayunk and received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University. Rothman had a long career in advertising with the Philadelphia Inquirer and was an active union member, serving as an officer on the board of the NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia.
She was the first woman to be elected as sector chairperson, concurrent with Linda Foley’s election as the first woman president of TNG-CWA.
“Carol Rothman’s leadership inspired many Guild women throughout the decades,” said former TNG-CWA President Linda Foley. “She was a fierce advocate for her co-workers at the Philadelphia Inquirer and a strong leader for the international Guild, as chairperson and as secretary-treasurer. She was someone I, and many other Guild members, admired greatly. She will be missed.”
“She was fierce and witty and fun, and a damn good ad sales person as well as an indefatigable union leader,” said former Philadelphia NewsGuild president Diane Mastrull, current chair of the international Guild and a retired Inquirer editor. “My most enduring vision of Carol is her sitting at her desk at the Inquirer in a chair to which she had affixed a bumper sticker that read: Welcome to the weekend, compliments of the union.”
She was also a tireless cheerleader.
“To give me courage to chair my first sector conference, she urged me to write across the top of my speech ‘Large and in Charge,’ advice I followed,” Mastrull said.
“Carol was blessed with the ability of being able to talk to anyone and find common ground,” said former TNG-CWA President Bernie Lunzer, who served alongside Rothman for decades as the two held various positions.
“When I was elected to my position, Carol was among the first to reach out with support and offers of help” said Guild Executive Vice President Marian Needham. “I took her up on that offer more than once, and her counsel was always delivered with grace, insight and levity. She set an example I always admired. I miss her already.”
“Carol provided a steady hand over our union through some uniquely difficult times,” said TNG-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “She was elected as the top officer of a union that had been run by only men for more than six decades and then navigated us through the Great Recession. On top of that she dedicated her time as trustee over our pension fund up until her death. She was an absolute gem of a human being and our world quivers a bit more without her presence.”
Rothman was a devoted mother of Lindsey Haefner (Andrew) and loving Nana of Lukas. She is survived by brother Frank Dachowski (Donna), sisters Joyce Dachowski and Barbara LaRocca (Joseph), and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 29 at Koller Funeral Home, 6835 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. Interment is private.In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions in her memory may be made to the Lenfest Institute for Journalism or to a charity of your choice.
